The Doctor then admits that temporal grace is actually just a "clever lie."

And if by his clever lies he got her back, then what would he do?

Whatever comes out of my mouth must be a clever lie or a spin on the truth.

She started to weep and a clever lie sprang to his mind.

Enforced isolation and clever lies could cover up only so much.

Or were they clever lies to trap a suspect regent?

He manages to balance both the ladies perfectly with clever lies.

These were the cleverest lies he had ever heard.

Part of him realized he was being told a very clever lie.

He surmised that it could all be a clever lie.